A voltage converter comprises a first, a second and a third capacitor (11, 12, 13) which are switched in series in at least one operating state, an input (1) for supplying an input voltage (VIN), an output (2) for providing an output voltage (VOUT), and a compensation circuit (5). The input (1) of the voltage converter is coupled to a capacitor from a group comprising the first, the second and the third capacitor (11, 12, 13). The output (2) of the voltage converter is coupled to a capacitor from the group comprising the first, the second and the third capacitor (11, 12, 13). The compensation circuit (5) is coupled to the first, the second and the third capacitor (11, 12, 13) and adapts a first voltage (V1) of the first capacitor (11), a second voltage (V2) of the second capacitor (12) and a third voltage (V3) of the third capacitor (13) to one another.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A voltage converter, comprising: a first, a second and a third capacitor which are connected in series in at least one operating state; an input for supplying an input voltage; an input change-over switch having an input side that is connected to the input of the voltage converter and an output side that is connected to at least two capacitors from the group comprising the first, the second and the third capacitor; an output for providing an output voltage and coupled to a capacitor from the group comprising the first, the second and the third capacitor; and a compensation circuit which is coupled to the first, the second and the third capacitor in such a manner that a first voltage of the first capacitor, a second voltage of the second capacitor and a third voltage of the third capacitor are adapted to one another; one switch each being used in the input change-over switch and/or in the compensation circuit, wherein said one switch comprises a switching element and a resistor which are arranged in series connection, with the resistor being realized as a controllable resistor which is connected to an amplifier at a control input, and the amplifier having its input side connected to the output of the voltage converter and a voltage source, or said one switch being realized as a transistor with a turn-on resistance that is controlled by an amplifier, with the amplifier having its input side connected to the output of the voltage converter and a voltage source so that the transistor is operated in an ON state in which it has different turn-on resistances which are controlled by the amplifier as well as in an OFF state.
2. The voltage converter according to claim 1 , comprising an output change-over switch which has its input side connected to at least two capacitors from the group comprising the first, the second and the third capacitor and has its output side connected to the output of the voltage converter.
3. The voltage converter according to claim 2 , comprising a control device with a feedback input for supplying a feedback voltage which can be derived from the output voltage, wherein the feedback input can be coupled to the output of the voltage converter via an attachable electrical load, a first control output which is coupled to a control input of the input change-over switch, and a second control output which is coupled to a control input of the output change-over switch.
4. The voltage converter according to claim 1 , wherein the compensation circuit comprises a compensating capacitor connected to the first capacitor in a first operating state, to the second capacitor in a second operating state and to the third capacitor in a third operating state, with the first, second and third operating states alternating periodically.
5. The voltage converter according claim 1 , wherein the first, the second and the third capacitor are switched in series connection in a first operating state in a first order and in a second operating state in a second order which is different from the first order.
6. The voltage converter according to claim 1 , comprising an output capacitor which is arranged between the output of the voltage converter and the reference potential terminal.
7. The voltage converter according to claim 1 , wherein the output voltage (VOUT) is provided in approximation with a value according to the following equation: VOUT = M L · VIN , with VOUT being the value of the output voltage, VIN the value of the input voltage, L a first number of the capacitors from the group comprising the first, the second and the third capacitor which are connected in series between the input and a reference potential terminal in an operating state, and M a second number of the capacitors from the group comprising the first, the second and the third capacitor which are connected in series between the output and the reference potential terminal in said operating state.
8. The voltage converter according to claim 1 , comprising at least one further capacitor which in at least one operating state is arranged in series connection to the first, the second and the third capacitor, wherein the input change-over switch has its output side coupled to the at least one further capacitor, the output of the voltage converter is coupled to the at least one further capacitor, and the compensation circuit is coupled to the at least one further capacitor in such a manner that at least one further voltage of the at least one further capacitor as well as the first, the second and the third voltage are adapted to one another.
9. The voltage converter according to claim 8 , wherein the first and second electrodes of the four capacitors are coupled to a first, a second and a third node through one switch each, wherein the respectively first electrodes of the four capacitors are coupled to a fourth node via one switch each, wherein the second electrodes of the four capacitors are coupled to a reference potential terminal via one switch each, and wherein the input change-over switch selectively couples the input to one of the four nodes.
10. A method for voltage conversion, comprising the steps of: supplying an input voltage to an input of an input change-over switch; providing the input voltage selectively at a first output of the input change-over switch connected to an electrode of a capacitor from a group comprising a first, a second and a third capacitor, or at least one further output of the input change-over switch connected to an electrode of a further capacitor from the group comprising the first, the second and the third capacitor, the first, the second and the third capacitor being connected in series at least in one operating state, adapting a first voltage of the first capacitor, a second voltage of the second capacitor and a third voltage of the third capacitor to one another by means of a compensation circuit; and providing an output voltage which can be tapped between an electrode of a capacitor from the group comprising the first, the second and the third capacitor and a reference potential terminal; one switch each being used in the input change-over switch and/or in the compensation circuit, said one switch comprising a switching element and a resistor that are arranged in series connection, with the resistor being realized as a controllable resistor which is connected to an amplifier at a control input, and the amplifier having its input side connected to the output of the voltage converter and a voltage source, or said one switch being realized as a transistor with a turn-on resistance that is controlled by an amplifier, with the amplifier having its input side connected to the output of the voltage converter and a voltage source so that the transistor is operated in an ON state in which it has different turn-on resistances which are controlled by the amplifier as well as in an OFF state.
11. The method according to claim 10 , comprising: providing the input voltage selectively at an additional output of the input change-over switch connected to an electrode of at least one further capacitor, the at least one further capacitor being arranged in series connection with the first, the second and the third capacitor at least in one operating state; adapting the first, the second and the third voltage and at least one further voltage of the at least one further capacitor to one another; and providing the output voltage which can be tapped between an electrode of a capacitor from a group comprising the first, the second, the third and the at least one further capacitor and the reference potential terminal.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
March 25, 2008
February 21, 2012
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